one month after the upgrade to an 850gal reef - Page 8

steveweast · 11/09/2003, 04:14 AM

Invincible... most of the homes that I build are in the entry level category...around $150K.... and as a result, closing costs are more of a concern than a reef. But, I could induldge someone if they asked for a system.
Your question on the black acylic is a good one. My last tank had clear sides and I really hated the mirror effect on the sides when viewing the tank from the front.....especially since I don't keep my sides clean of algae /coralline. I much perfer the black sides; besides, I rarely looked from the sides anyway on the old tank.

Simbo18.... I never really cared for mirrored backs. I perfer a black or a painted background that mimicks a sense of infinity... as if you were diving over a ledge. The black doesn't completely mimick the distant/infinity ocean water either...but, I might play with a multi-colored painted background (using dark blues and aqua colors) in the future to try to more accurately reflect a sense of ocean water infinity.

reefnovice... melev is quite correct...if there is something specific that you would like to know that you may have missed, please don't hesitate to ask.

MATTT · 11/10/2003, 09:27 AM

Guys,

Please help me out... After looking at a pictures of the reef safe (heniochus) and the annal fin, I still could not know what to look for. Unless anyone have a picture of both the reef safe and the non reefsafe it would help. When you said the annal fin do you mean the fin next to the tail or the fin closer to the eyes ? What do you mean by the intersection of the line ? Intersection compare to what point of the fin ?

Thanks,

Mattt.

andrejka · 11/10/2003, 02:06 PM

Mattt,

Here is Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes) (the ones Steve has).
The other one (not reef-safe) is Long-fin Bannerfish (Heniochus acuminatus)

The site describes the differences.

andrejka · 11/10/2003, 02:12 PM

P.S. Anus means a$$, pardon my French. Hence, anal fin is the one "next to the tail" (below the tail to be exact).

invincible569 · 11/10/2003, 11:20 PM

Steve, do you by any chance sell frags off of that blue tort?

steveweast · 11/10/2003, 11:31 PM

invincible. I really don't sell frags...this is a hobby for me and the shipping/selling gig isn't for me. I sometimes will trade for a frag that I can't find locally though. If you try Upscales, they can probably hook you up with a frag....that's where I got my frag two years ago.

rendeyxu · 11/10/2003, 11:55 PM

Hey STeve

really awsome tank, and nice construction.

Mind if i come take a look if i am in oregon?

and also wonder how much you pay for utility bill for this monster?

steveweast · 11/11/2003, 12:05 AM

Visitors are welcome anytime... no pliers/screwdrivers/clippers allowed. My PGE bill ususlly runs about $250/month...the house usage accounts for about $50 of that.

joefish · 11/11/2003, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by steveweast
My PGE bill ususlly runs about $250/month...the house usage accounts for about $50 of that.

Thats Just not right I have a lousy 120g and I pay $321 a month .First your tank is nicer now your bills are lower I hate you Steve .

JK

Julio · 11/11/2003, 09:22 AM

wow your bill is cheap, i wish mine was like that, well it is, and i am only running a 90 gallon with two 175 watt and two vhos.

curlybear · 11/11/2003, 10:15 AM

Steve
You may have answered this already, but I can't seem to find it in this thread. ANyways what is the height of your lighting above the water? You have an incredible system, the light hood itself is a thing of beauty. Did you build the hood yourself? Do you have a pic that shows the inside of the light hood? Also what type of rails are those that the hood slides on and where did you find them? Could you also show a closer pic of the baffle that you have in the sump for feeding? It sounds like a great idea, I just can't see it to well. Sorry, I'm a visual person and you you take great pics. Thanks

steveweast · 11/11/2003, 10:38 AM

Joefish/julio..... power here in the Northwest is cheap due to one thing...rain. We have lots of rain, lots of dams, and lots of cheap/renewable power.

curlybear... my lights are about 8" above the water. The rail system and its components are stock items from Stanley and are commonly used for hanging barn doors. Home Depot generally carries the items. If not, they are on the Stanley hardware website under barn door hardware. Here's a pic of the hood before it went up....and yes, I built it myself.

steveweast · 11/11/2003, 10:52 AM

Curlybear... here's a close-up of the feeding baffle. It is just a three sided acylic baffle that surrounds the return pump's intake bulkhead. It's not even glued in place... it just sits there loose. You'll notice holes in the bottom of the baffle where water enters the baffle from the sump. Food is just poured into the baffle. The pump will then deliver the food to the tank. Since water is being sucked into the baffle compartment, the food stays in the baffle until it all gets delivered to the tank...preventing any food from getting into the sump.

Silly Girl · 11/11/2003, 06:54 PM

i am now only using 2 x 250 walt hqi with E-ballastand 2 110w t5 lights, and ampmaster 2700, it's already 150 dollar a month.......it's good to live in oregon, even no sales tax

joefish · 11/11/2003, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Silly Girl
i am now only using 2 x 250 walt hqi with E-ballastand 2 110w t5 lights, and ampmaster 2700, it's already 150 dollar a month.......it's good to live in oregon, even no sales tax

WHAT NO SALES TAX EITHER!!!!

Oregon here I come!!!!!!

trinityshannon · 11/12/2003, 02:08 PM

THANK YOU STEVE!

For all of us who are stuggling to justify this addictive hobby, I tell ya, I've gotten my wife to buy into the hobby much more from just seeing your tank!

I think you will convert and open eyes of many with what you've done. Great job!

NM reef · 11/12/2003, 03:50 PM

Steve...I've been following this thread since it first started and again I've got to tell you that is a thing of beauty. I for one appreciate the time and effort you have put into just keeping up with the questions and comments! Thanks for all the details and information on your reef. I do have a question in regard to your pics posted on this thread. I have them all saved(a few have been backgrounds for me to drool over) and I'd like to request permission to post all the pics featured on this thread on my personal website...not for any credit to me...just to show what a truely beautiful reef looks like and to show what I consider to be the best example of a home reef I have ever seen. My email is below if you'd like to shoot me a negative reply in private. If you have a problem with your pics being used in such a manner I'd certainly understand...

nmreef@cox.net

steveweast · 11/12/2003, 08:14 PM

NM reef... to me, once the photos are publically posted, they are in the public domain. Please feel free to use them as please.

Ewan · 11/13/2003, 05:31 PM

Steve:

First, congrats on the new system. It is very inspiring. I have always found the front-to-back depth to make the most dramatic difference.

Second, Congrats on the AMAZING change-over between tanks. I find it very hard to believe that you managed to make the switch as quickly as you did. Corals were only 30 hours in the temp tanks... wow!!! You must've worked very hard that week (and subsequent weeks, I'm sure)

Amazing, just amazing. Kudos. Are you making it to Macna this coming year?

-E.

steveweast · 11/13/2003, 09:58 PM

Go to MACNA ??? wouldn't that mean that I would have to leave my tank ???

photobarry · 11/13/2003, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by steveweast
Go to MACNA ??? wouldn't that mean that I would have to leave my tank ???

You're allowed one carry-on.

Ewan · 11/14/2003, 04:50 PM

If I'm not mistaken, your tank is larger than the reef exibit at the New England Aquarium... Maybe you should come to compare...

It IS quite a trip for you though.

E.

karm40 · 11/14/2003, 06:39 PM

The New England Aq. reminds me that typically the reef displays at public aquariums are quite disappointing. Do you guys find that to be true? I'vd been to NE, Balatimore, Monterey, Long Beach and Steve's is way more impressive.
Mark

Julio · 11/14/2003, 08:33 PM

If you guys ever come to NY, check out the 20K reef tank at Atlatis Marine World.
Steve your tank is gorgeous, i wish i could live in yoru area so i can afford teh electric cost.

pamela-troy · 11/14/2003, 09:33 PM

ya but ask how much the prop tax is...

Troy

11/10/2003, 11:55 PM	#182
rendeyxu Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SF, CA Posts: 372	Hey STeve really awsome tank, and nice construction. Mind if i come take a look if i am in oregon? and also wonder how much you pay for utility bill for this monster? __________________ All fishes go to heaven Current Tank Info: Fishless 200 gallon RT 4x tunze 6200 H&S Skimmer 2x 400 10K ushio 2 x 250 w 20k XM

11/11/2003, 09:22 AM	#185
Julio Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New york Posts: 8,085	wow your bill is cheap, i wish mine was like that, well it is, and i am only running a 90 gallon with two 175 watt and two vhos. __________________ Thanks, Have a nice day. Julio Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef w/ 250 watt SE XM10Ks and AP1003, 12 gallon reef, 40 gallon reef

11/11/2003, 10:15 AM	#186
curlybear Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Scottsdale, AZ Posts: 27	Steve You may have answered this already, but I can't seem to find it in this thread. ANyways what is the height of your lighting above the water? You have an incredible system, the light hood itself is a thing of beauty. Did you build the hood yourself? Do you have a pic that shows the inside of the light hood? Also what type of rails are those that the hood slides on and where did you find them? Could you also show a closer pic of the baffle that you have in the sump for feeding? It sounds like a great idea, I just can't see it to well. Sorry, I'm a visual person and you you take great pics. Thanks __________________ Oh, to be back in the ocean... Current Tank Info: 90 gallon Reef

11/12/2003, 02:08 PM	#191
trinityshannon Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 37	Best persuasion tool EVER! THANK YOU STEVE! For all of us who are stuggling to justify this addictive hobby, I tell ya, I've gotten my wife to buy into the hobby much more from just seeing your tank! I think you will convert and open eyes of many with what you've done. Great job!

11/14/2003, 08:33 PM	#199
Julio Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: New york Posts: 8,085	If you guys ever come to NY, check out the 20K reef tank at Atlatis Marine World. Steve your tank is gorgeous, i wish i could live in yoru area so i can afford teh electric cost. __________________ Thanks, Have a nice day. Julio Current Tank Info: 90 gallon reef w/ 250 watt SE XM10Ks and AP1003, 12 gallon reef, 40 gallon reef

11/09/2003, 04:14 AM	#176
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	Invincible... most of the homes that I build are in the entry level category...around $150K.... and as a result, closing costs are more of a concern than a reef. But, I could induldge someone if they asked for a system. Your question on the black acylic is a good one. My last tank had clear sides and I really hated the mirror effect on the sides when viewing the tank from the front.....especially since I don't keep my sides clean of algae /coralline. I much perfer the black sides; besides, I rarely looked from the sides anyway on the old tank. Simbo18.... I never really cared for mirrored backs. I perfer a black or a painted background that mimicks a sense of infinity... as if you were diving over a ledge. The black doesn't completely mimick the distant/infinity ocean water either...but, I might play with a multi-colored painted background (using dark blues and aqua colors) in the future to try to more accurately reflect a sense of ocean water infinity. reefnovice... melev is quite correct...if there is something specific that you would like to know that you may have missed, please don't hesitate to ask.

11/10/2003, 09:27 AM	#177
MATTT Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Michigan Posts: 393	Guys, Please help me out... After looking at a pictures of the reef safe (heniochus) and the annal fin, I still could not know what to look for. Unless anyone have a picture of both the reef safe and the non reefsafe it would help. When you said the annal fin do you mean the fin next to the tail or the fin closer to the eyes ? What do you mean by the intersection of the line ? Intersection compare to what point of the fin ? Thanks, Mattt.

11/10/2003, 02:06 PM	#178
andrejka Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine Posts: 216	Mattt, Here is Schooling Bannerfish (Heniochus diphreutes) (the ones Steve has). The other one (not reef-safe) is Long-fin Bannerfish (Heniochus acuminatus) The site describes the differences.

11/10/2003, 02:12 PM	#179
andrejka Awaiting Email Confirmation Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Kharkiv, Ukraine Posts: 216	P.S. Anus means a$$, pardon my French. Hence, anal fin is the one "next to the tail" (below the tail to be exact).

11/10/2003, 11:20 PM	#180
invincible569 Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2003 Posts: 7,187	Steve, do you by any chance sell frags off of that blue tort?

11/10/2003, 11:31 PM	#181
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	invincible. I really don't sell frags...this is a hobby for me and the shipping/selling gig isn't for me. I sometimes will trade for a frag that I can't find locally though. If you try Upscales, they can probably hook you up with a frag....that's where I got my frag two years ago.

11/11/2003, 12:05 AM	#183
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	Visitors are welcome anytime... no pliers/screwdrivers/clippers allowed. My PGE bill ususlly runs about $250/month...the house usage accounts for about $50 of that.

11/11/2003, 10:38 AM	#187
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	Joefish/julio..... power here in the Northwest is cheap due to one thing...rain. We have lots of rain, lots of dams, and lots of cheap/renewable power. curlybear... my lights are about 8" above the water. The rail system and its components are stock items from Stanley and are commonly used for hanging barn doors. Home Depot generally carries the items. If not, they are on the Stanley hardware website under barn door hardware. Here's a pic of the hood before it went up....and yes, I built it myself.

11/11/2003, 10:52 AM	#188
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	Curlybear... here's a close-up of the feeding baffle. It is just a three sided acylic baffle that surrounds the return pump's intake bulkhead. It's not even glued in place... it just sits there loose. You'll notice holes in the bottom of the baffle where water enters the baffle from the sump. Food is just poured into the baffle. The pump will then deliver the food to the tank. Since water is being sucked into the baffle compartment, the food stays in the baffle until it all gets delivered to the tank...preventing any food from getting into the sump.

11/11/2003, 06:54 PM	#189
Silly Girl Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 3	i am now only using 2 x 250 walt hqi with E-ballastand 2 110w t5 lights, and ampmaster 2700, it's already 150 dollar a month.......it's good to live in oregon, even no sales tax

11/12/2003, 03:50 PM	#192
NM reef Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New Mexico Posts: 232	Steve...I've been following this thread since it first started and again I've got to tell you that is a thing of beauty. I for one appreciate the time and effort you have put into just keeping up with the questions and comments! Thanks for all the details and information on your reef. I do have a question in regard to your pics posted on this thread. I have them all saved(a few have been backgrounds for me to drool over) and I'd like to request permission to post all the pics featured on this thread on my personal website...not for any credit to me...just to show what a truely beautiful reef looks like and to show what I consider to be the best example of a home reef I have ever seen. My email is below if you'd like to shoot me a negative reply in private. If you have a problem with your pics being used in such a manner I'd certainly understand... nmreef@cox.net

11/12/2003, 08:14 PM	#193
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	NM reef... to me, once the photos are publically posted, they are in the public domain. Please feel free to use them as please.

11/13/2003, 05:31 PM	#194
Ewan Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Fredericton, NB, Canada Posts: 2,632	Steve: First, congrats on the new system. It is very inspiring. I have always found the front-to-back depth to make the most dramatic difference. Second, Congrats on the AMAZING change-over between tanks. I find it very hard to believe that you managed to make the switch as quickly as you did. Corals were only 30 hours in the temp tanks... wow!!! You must've worked very hard that week (and subsequent weeks, I'm sure) Amazing, just amazing. Kudos. Are you making it to Macna this coming year? -E.

11/13/2003, 09:58 PM	#195
steveweast Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Portland,Or Posts: 1,057	Go to MACNA ??? wouldn't that mean that I would have to leave my tank ???

11/14/2003, 04:50 PM	#197
Ewan Premium Member Join Date: Oct 1999 Location: Fredericton, NB, Canada Posts: 2,632	If I'm not mistaken, your tank is larger than the reef exibit at the New England Aquarium... Maybe you should come to compare... It IS quite a trip for you though. E.

11/14/2003, 06:39 PM	#198
karm40 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: So Cal Posts: 385	The New England Aq. reminds me that typically the reef displays at public aquariums are quite disappointing. Do you guys find that to be true? I'vd been to NE, Balatimore, Monterey, Long Beach and Steve's is way more impressive. Mark

11/14/2003, 09:33 PM	#200
pamela-troy Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NOR CAL Posts: 264	ya but ask how much the prop tax is... Troy __________________ Three loves in my life...quad...reefing..and wheeling Current Tank Info: Tanks all gone... plans in the making of a cube...